


Soak My Lungs

by Jibbly



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M, Omega Bucky Barnes, Soul Bond, Withdrawal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-05
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-06-06 11:10:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6751603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jibbly/pseuds/Jibbly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“So, if the treatments aren’t working, we what?” Steve says trying to keep the frustration out of his voice to not upset the two betas in the room with him. “Wait till his body stops trying to throw itself up?”<br/>Bruce gives him a sorry look. “In short, yes.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [Soak My Lungs（中文翻译）](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8025061) by [kiwi_plum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwi_plum/pseuds/kiwi_plum)



Steve grimaces when Bucky runs over to the toilet in his room and throws up for what seems like the hundredth time since he had turned himself in.

Natasha was in the room with him, rubbing soothing circles against his back and whispering to him in what sounded like Russian. She is currently the only one the omega has let near him since he arrived, and Steve can’t help the twinge of hurt he feels at that. The brunette had taken one look at him and snarled, before being walked into his observation room, aka his “room”. Effectively letting Steve know with his scent that the blonde alpha’s presence was not welcomed.

Still, that didn’t stop Steve from looking over the footage from the room. He, along with Tony, Bruce, and Natasha being the only ones being granted access.

Bruce frowns as Bucky continues to empty the contents of his stomach into the porcelain bowl.

“He is going through withdrawal, and the treatment we’ve been giving him isn’t working.” Bruce takes off his glasses to rub at the bridge of his nose. “If anything, it’s making his symptoms worse.”

Tony leans back in his chair and crosses his arms across his chest. “Well, who knows what kind of fucked up shit they were drugging him with, and if we go with what your serum does” He looks at Steve. “Then it must have been potent as hell.”

Bruce pulls up Bucky’s blood tests onto the screen, and frowns. “Most of them were to keep him compliant and docile as far as I can concern. Except that there is also a large amount of suppressants that are still coursing through his blood. “

“He’s damn near overdosed on the things, poor bastard. “Tony swears, and Steve grinds his teeth at “what they already knew.

“So, if the treatments aren’t working, we what?” Steve says trying to keep the frustration out of his voice to not upset the two betas in the room with him. “Wait till his body stops trying to throw itself up?”

Bruce gives him a sorry look. “In short, yes.”

Bucky’s blood test results minimize and the live streaming of the room goes back to filling up the screen.

“And try not to aggravate him anymore than he is.” Tony makes a pointed look at Steve to which the blonde ignores.

Bruce comes to stand next to him and place a comforting hand on his shoulder. Steve turns towards the shorter man. “Natasha will continue to give him the care he needs, and if anything else comes up you’ll be the first to know, alright?”

Steve runs a hand over his face, the stress of seeing Bucky like this and the omega not wanting him near him was getting to him. Picking up his shield from the floor, he straps it onto his back and starts for the door.

“He’ll get through this, Steve.” Bruce calls after him, his soft voice filling the room. Tony’s grave tone right behind it. “And he’ll go through one hell of a heat.”

Steve doesn’t look back at them, just resumes walking.

His hands are gripping the sides of the toilet so hard that his metal fingers are cracking the rim.

Cold water spills onto the back of his neck and he pants as another wave of nausea wracks him. Hunching forwards, bile burns as it is forced out of his body, his stomach caving in on itself.

“дышать” Natasha says as she gently pushes the hair away from his face.

Her scent is familiar and reminds him of harsh weather and even harsher training. She had just been a girl back then, now she’s an adult. An alpha that has no more need of an omega like him.

Yet here she is, taking care of him in this disgraceful state. Her once fierce mentor, reduced to a shivering wreck spiling his insides into a bowl.

Still he’d rather she sees him like this than his other option.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_He takes out the keys from his jacket pocket and is about to put them in his lock to is apartment, when he notices the door is slightly ajar._

_He had left the shield in the car with Sam, seeing as he only had a few things left in his apartment that needed to be moved._

_Stepping quietly, he closes the door behind him and listens for any sounds of movement. There are a couple of boxes still in the hallway, but other than that, it’s empty. And it reeks of Bucky._

_His heart is racing so fast it feels like it’s about to beat out of his chest when he sees that the door to his room is open._

_Turning the corner, he sees the bare mattress in the middle of his room first, and then the end of a pistol pointed at him._

_Bucky is sitting on top of the mattress, back against the wall and a pistol trained at Steve’s head._

_The omega is panting and sweat is lining his forehead, the gun in his hand is still though. Steve comes into full view of the other, hands slowly raised in surrender. “Buck, what are you doing here?” It’s said gently, not to startle the other._

_Bucky grits his teeth and the deep breath he lets out is shuddering._

_“Buck- “Steve is interrupted by Bucky darting to the side of the bed and throwing up. He has to fight the instinct to rush to the omega, but his will breaks when Bucky lets out a pained whine._

_He kneels next to the other, and places his hands on either side of his face. Bucky’s skin is clammy and his color is pale. When Steve meets his eyes, Bucky lets himself lean into the alpha’s touch, shivering._

_Steve feels his chest ache when Bucky lets out another soft whine of distress, and brings the other against his chest. Tucking Bucky’s head under his chin and feeling how the metal hand is clutching onto his shirt._

_He reaches into his back pocket and takes out his phone, dialing the person still waiting for him downstairs._

_“Sam, he’s here.”_

_\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_The ride to Avengers HQ is tense with Sam in the driver’s seat and Steve and Bucky in the back. They are laying down low, with Steve’s shield up against the window._

_“What’s wrong with him?” Sam says quietly, his eyebrows furrowed._

_Steve brushes some bangs out of Bucky’s face and lets the omega tuck himself against his neck. “I don’t know, but he’s burning up._

_When they step through the front doors, Natasha and a few of the others are waiting for him, guns trained at the unconscious omega in Steve’s arms._

_Natasha is in front of him, making pointed look at Bucky before looking back at Steve. “What you got there, Steve?”_

_Sam is looking between everyone, nervous with all the tension and aggressive scents in the air._

_“Nat, he needs help.” He says seriously._

_“Don’t we all?” Her gun still doesn’t lower, but he can see how her eyes soften when Bucky burrows his face against Steve’s chest._

_“Please, Nat.”_

_They all stay like that for what feels like hours, but she lowers her weapon and tilts her head towards the elevator._

_\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_The first few days, Bucky is mostly fading in and out of consciousness. Steve always close by, but when they start the treatments for the massive amount of drugs in his system, Bucky starts to distance himself._

_He is throwing up in the lab where Bruce had taken blood tests in, and Steve is about to place his hand on the other’s back to help calm him, but the omega snarls at him._

_“Don’t touch me!”_

_After that, Bucky starts to request for Natasha instead of Steve. And Steve starts going on more missions._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr @jibblyuniverse

Sam is standing against the doorway, arms crossed tightly across his chest, and a frown on his face.

Steve was on a medical table, getting stitched up.

“What’s with that look?” Steve says but doesn’t look up, because he already knows what Sam’s about to say.

The beta shoves off the doorframe and walks further into the room, standing beside Steve and the other beta currently doing his best to try and patch up Captain America. He waits until all the stiches are done and politely asks the other beta to give them a minute. Once they are alone, Sam grits his teeth and he knows that his scent is spiked with anger but he wants it to. He wants Steve to scent how pissed he is.

“You were reckless, Steve. Unnecessarily so.”

Steve looks up at Sam and can’t help the flare of annoyance to he feels at knowing the other is right. He just doesn’t care.

“I know. I’m sorry.” He isn’t. He’s lying and Sam knows it.

The beta sighs heavily and runs a hand over his face, before starting to pace next to Steve. Steve takes the time to pull on his shirt, hissing in pain as some of the stitches catch against the fabric. Sam comes to a stop at the foot of the table and stares hard at Steve.

“When was the last time you saw Barnes?”

Steve freezes for less than a second, but Sam catches it because of course he does. “What does that have to do with this?” Steve forcefully tugs at the bottom of his shirt and gets off the table. He’s not looking at Sam.

There a laugh that has no humor in it from the beta, before he comes to stand in front of Steve. “You know, that would be a lot more convincing if you actually looked me in the eye when you say it. “

Steve frowns and glares as his eyes come up to meet Sam’s. “He doesn’t want to see me anyway. He’s made that perfectly clear.”

“So you stop caring? Throw yourself into work? Become a complete wreck in the field and endanger everyone? That’s your plan, because man, I don’t want any part of it if it is.” Sam lets his arms fall to his side and his fists ball up in anger.

“So don’t come on missions with me anymore!” Steve shouts and Sam takes a step back. Steve’s scent is drowning in frustration and Sam’s never seen the alpha this unhinged.

Steve picks up his jacket from the table and stats for the door, leaving a stunned Sam. But stops halfway out the door to say over his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you, Sam. You didn’t deserve that.”

The beta tries to recover as much as he can, never actually having been yelled at by Steve before. “Where are you going, then?”

Steve doesn’t say anything, just continues walking.

Sam stays in the medical room until he can’t hear Steve’s footsteps anymore. The beta braces his hands against the table Steve had been on and let’s his body shake. “Fuck.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s late when Sam walks up to the observation room, knocking on the shut door and hoping.

It opens a few seconds later and it isn’t who he wanted opening the door.

Natasha sees him and her eyes widen, shutting the door behind her, she gives Sam her full attention. “What’s up, Sam?” The redheaded alpha seemed stressed, the lines of her shoulders taught with it.

He rarely came here, knowing that Steve wanted to be alone whenever he was in there. So her surprise was warranted.

“Has Steve been by today?” Sam asks knowing the answer in the pit of his stomach.

Nat smells in his scent and her face becomes serious. “No, he hasn’t been by in two weeks.”

Sam’s eyes widen and he swears under his breath. “He hasn’t been by at all? For two weeks?”

Nat shakes her head, and gives him a sad look. To the room, no, but he’s asked me about him. Always in passing. Asks if Bucky wants to see him.”

“And Barnes?”

She shakes her head again. “He always says no, even though his withdrawal ended a month ago.”

Sam swallows in his throat, knowing more or less what that meant. “Has he gone through heat?”

The alpha nods. “He went through it two weeks ago.”

“Did Steve know?” Sam says quietly.

“James asked me to keep it from him, until it was over. That even if he begged for him during it, to not tell Steve.”

Sam turns away, and leans his fist against the wall on the opposite wall. “When did Steve find out about it?”

“Yesterday.”

“Damn it!” Sam swears and Nat comes to stand in front of him, hands on his shoulders. “Sam, what’s he done?”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sam tries the last place he wants to look for Steve, but he knows that it’ll be where he’ll find out where the blonde is.

Tony is sitting in his chair, a wall full of screens and the beta talking into an earpiece. The beta notices Sam walk in and greets him. “What’s up, Sam? What do I owe the pleasure? And If you say you want a mission, I can’t help cause the last one just left an hour ago.”

Sam has that sinking feeling in his gut at those words. “Was Steve on that mission?”

Tony either hears the tone in his voice or his scent, because he turns in his chair and looks at him. “Was Rogers not to leave?”

Sam raises his hand to his face and rubs at it roughly. “Fuck!”

Tony stands and walks up to Sam, worry heavy between the two betas. “Sam, tell me what’s going on.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bucky is sitting against the wall, head leaning back and breath coming in and out in equal measures. His skin is still itchy, but at least he isn’t throwing up or rocking a high fever any more. As far as everyone is concerned, he’s gotten past the worst of everything.

The drugs have been flushed out of his body, and then he had one of the most painful heats he can remember.

Natasha had been there with him the whole time, her calming scent helping him when the fire in his belly threatened to break him. He hadn’t wanted Steve to know about his heat, because he knew that the blonde would want to be there with him.

They weren’t bonded, never have been. But he remembers cold night spent in a tent, the laughing of their team members outside and how Steve would wrap around him. How at one time, the thought of bonding was only with Steve.

Then he remembers rushing wind and hitting snow at what felt like a hundred miles per hour. the pain and torture. How his heats were seen as such an inconvenience that they stuck a needle in his throat every time he so much as showed a sign of omegan submission. How in those first few years, when his mind was still mostly his own, the doctors would scowl at him and speak to one another as they set his mind on fire.

_“We should have gotten the alpha instead.”_

He remembers parts and pieces of his life as “Bucky”, blurry and as if seen through broken glass, but he remembers everything about his life as “the winter soldier”.

He feels as if the fog is clearing away from him for the first time in an eternity, and he can’t help but feel calm.

Though, he knows that there is still something that he needs to do, but he can’t bring himself to do it.

And every time Natasha walks in and looks at him, asking if Steve can come see him, he shakes his head. He doesn’t want to see Steve. That’s all he wants to do.

Steve would come in as soon as his acceptance was voiced and look at Bucky the way he hasn’t been looked at in a lifetime. And he can’t handle that. Not right now. He knows that if he sees Steve, he wouldn’t be able to stop.

The door to his room opens and Natasha walks in with their food. He asked if she could eat with him one day, and they have been ever since. She gives him a strained smile, and he tries to give her one in return.

He stands so that they can eat on his bed, and makes room for her and both of their trays.

“How’re you feeling today, James?” She asks softly, and hands him his plastic cutlery.

Their hands brush and he takes the items from her hand. “Good. I think. I feel calm.”

She gives him another tense smile and they begin eating in silence. The longer they are in each other’s company, the more he can smell several scents that cling onto her.

He takes a bite of his food as he tries to determine wat those scents smell like. There is mostly worry, stress, and frustration. But there is also one that has the heavy Smokey scent of pain and hurt.

He looks at her from under his lashes and how she isn’t looking at him and continues eating.

They sit like that, eating and in each other’s presence, until they finish their food. She stands up to take both of their trays, but is stopped when Bucky gently grabs her wrist with his flesh hand.

“Is something going on?”

She doesn’t flinch at his hand or at his words, but she can’t reel in her scent fast enough. Not fast enough for him not to smell the panic in it.

“Something’s happened.” He says and she nods, confirming it.

He feels his heart rate increase as she gently puts the trays on the table in the corner of his room and comes back on the bed to look at him.

“James” She starts, and he doesn’t want to hear what she has to say anymore. Her face takes on a pained look before steeling herself with a deep breath. “Steve is hurt.”

He wished he hadn’t asked, but now he knows and it’s all that’s rattling around in his head.

“What happened?” His voice comes out in a whisper, but she hears it.

“He was caught in an explosion, and is in critical condition.” Bucky looks down into his hands and knows that his breathing in speeding up, it feels like a panic attack.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tony swears as the helicopter lands and a team of medical personnel swarms it.

Sam and Natasha are next to him, both of them tense and filled with worry as they see Steve hauled out in a gurney, a breathing mask strapped to his face and suit burned on half of his body.

“That stupid, son of a bitch.” Sam grits out and they part to let the medial team bring Steve inside the building. They see how Steve’s face is black with ash and there is blood staining the white fabric of the gurney.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr @jibblyuniverse

Wanda was sitting in the chair besides Steve’s medical bed, biting at her nails and worry saturating her scent. She had been on another mission with Clint for the past couple of days, and when she returned today, she had been told what had happened.

_She rushed to his room, and felt her eyes widen at seeing how badly injured the alpha was. There was a series of tubes and wiring that was connected to him, and she had turned to Sam. The beta giving her a sympathetic look, because he knew that she saw Steve as a kind of father figure._

_“How long has he been like this?” Her accent is thick because of the emotion that is bubbling up her throat._

_Sam sighs and crosses his arms over his chest, feeling the past couple of days’ weigh on his shoulders._

_“A week.”_

_She looks back down at Steve and tries not to whine at the sight of the burns that are slowly healing across his body, much too slowly. “Has he woken up?”_

_Sam nods, but it doesn’t make her feel any better._

_“He fades in and out. But for the most part, he stays asleep.”_

_She sees Sam clench his jaw. “Tony thinks that something else might be wrong with him, because his healing is slow. Too slow.”_

_Wanda continues to stare at the blonde’s sleeping face, worried and scared that she might lose someone else._

_\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

“James, you need to eat.” Natasha isn’t glaring, but it’s a close thing.

He is sitting against the corner of his room, knees up to his chest and head leaning against the wall. He’s not hungry, hasn’t been all week.

Sighing, she places the tray on the small table in his room, and kneels down so she’s eye level with him.

“Do you want to go see Steve?” it’s asked so simply.

He swallows and furrows his brow. He does. He wants to see Steve and see for himself what the big idiot did to himself. But he doesn’t think seeing Steve for the first time in months the way the alpha is right now would be good for him. He doesn’t know what kind of reaction he’d have.

Instead he turns to her. “Has he woken up lately?”

Bucky can’t help but think he sees disappointment flash in her green eyes, but she just fully sits down on the floor. “Not since yesterday, and that was for about a minute, and he didn’t know what happened. We tried explaining, but he didn’t understand and he fell back under.”

Bucky is taking in deep breaths and looks straight out at the way in front of him. He has the feeling that he wants to cry, maybe in frustration, but he doesn’t The burn is there in the back of his eyes, but he doesn’t let himself.

“We think there’s something else wrong with him.”

The burning increases, and he doesn’t turn to look at her.

“Why?”

“His serum should be able to heal his injuries, and they are but not at the rate they usual do. Tony and Bruce took some blood samples and his rate is only a little faster than regular people’s. “

Bucky let’s that information sink into his mind, and he gets an image of a skinny little blonde brat hacking up his lungs and insisting that he was fine.

_“It’s nothing, Buck.”_

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------_

It’s late, and she told Sam that she would stay with Steve so he could go get some rest. Sam had nodded and placed a hand on her slender shoulder n gratitude.

Now she was alone, Steve asleep and the beeping of machines that showed his vitals to keep her company.

It was past midnight when she caught a scent in the air, and looked up at Steve. His brow was furrowed and a cold sweat was breaking out against his temples. The machines showed everything was fine except that his heart rate was slightly increased and the alpha’s eyes were still closed.

He started twitching in his sleep, and she realized that he was having a nightmare.

She stayed watching as his face grew more and more pinched, debating on doing what she was thinking, when he started to pant.

She stood and slowly went to the door, closing and locking it, so they wouldn’t be disturbed. She didn’t want someone to try and snap her out of it, when she was rummaging around in the blonde’s mind.

She took a seat in her hair again and took a deep breath, concentrating on Steve’s face. There was sparks of red floating around her eyes and from one breath to the next, her surroundings changed.

_She is surrounded by heat and fire._

_She starts to panic a little, until the creaking of metal is heard. Looking up towards the sound, she sees a man walking carefully over a beam. The metal gives way under his feet, but he leaps over the railing on the opposite side, breaths coming out fast as he turns to face in her direction._

_She feels her eyes widen when she recognizes the face that she sees._

_“There’s gotta be a rope or something!”_

_Bucky yells out, dog tags swinging in the air and face pinched._

_There’s movement to the side of her and she notices that Steve is besides her. Covered in dirt and grime, scent radiating protectiveness and determination._

_“Just go! Get out of here!”_

_“No! Not without you!”_

_The omega across the collapsing building screams, hands banging against the railing. She knows that he would rather stay there, so close to safety, but choosing to burn with the blonde at her side._

_There’s a drop in her stomach and suddenly, she isn’t in that burning building anymore._

_She looks around and recognizes that she’s inside a tent, a mess of blankets on the dirt floor and lamp burning softly on a small wooden box. The tent is tall enough that when she sees Steve enter through the flap, he is able to stand comfortably._

_The blonde looks incredibly young, none of the tension that she has come to know from the Steve in the present._

_The opening moves again and Bucky enters after, fists balled up at his sides and frown firmly on his face._

_“I already told em’ that I’m fine. Don’t know why they gotta be so persistent about me answering the same damn questions over and over again.” The brunette sighs and throws himself onto the blankets, face buried in them._

_Steve is smiling, and sits down next to the omega, hands going to his shoulders and gently massaging the tension that has it in knots. There’s a quiet moan of appreciation form Bucky, and they stay like that for a while._

_It feels incredibly intimate._

_“You know they’re just lookin’ for anything wrong with you, Buck. They’re doctors, that’s kind of their job.”_

_The brunette huffs into the blankets, but turns over so he is laying on his back. His head is cradled on Steve’s hips and he lifts up his hands so that they are intertwined with the blonde’s. “I know that, but I just…”_

_Leaning down, Steve places a kiss against Bucky’s temple, and the omega sighs. “I don’t like remembering.” He tilts his head back and looks up at Steve. Eyes shiny with unshed tears and he brings up his left hand so that it’s tangled in the alpha’s hair._

_“It’s okay, Buck. I won’t let anything happen to you.” The distance between them closes, and she sees how the colors around her are shifting._

_It’s cold and there’s wind whipping around her._

_She is turning, trying to find out where she is when she hears yelling. Walking down the corridor, she realizes that she’s on a train. There’s a giant hole on the side, and then she sees Steve. He is gripping the railing tightly, and his other hand is extended out._

_“Grab onto my hand!”_

_There’s a second where Bucky reaches out, and then the railing he’s holding onto breaks off_

_Steve’s scream as the brunette falls out of sight are the last images that she sees before she’s no longer in Steve’s head._

She takes in a shuddering breath and her face is wet. Raising her hand to her cheek, she realizes that she had been crying.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Natasha is closing the door behind her, tray full of food in her hands when she stops short.

Wanda is there in the hallway, her head is down and her scent is strange.

Approaching the omega, Natasha lets her footsteps sound so that she won’t scare the brunette out of whatever mind set she’s in.

Wanda sees Natasha’s boots come into her line of sight, and looks up. The alpha gives her a smile. “Hey, what’re doing out here?”

There’s a few seconds of the omega’s eyes flickering across her face, and then she speaks. “Could I go in to see James?”

Natasha’s eyes widen at that and she has to push down the automatic decline that’s on the tip of her tongue. “Why?”

Swallowing, Wanda looks down again, nervous but determined. “I went into Steve’s mind last night while he was sleeping. I saw inside it.”

Natasha doesn’t know what to say to that, so she just asks.

“Why did you go into his head? What did you see?”

“He was having a nightmare, so I wanted to ease his mind, but I saw other things as well. James was in them.”

“He was remembering their time together.”

Wanda starts to nod, but then shakes it. “They were memories yes, but I also felt what was in his heart. And it’s hurting.”

She looks up at Natasha, wide eyes pleading for the alpha to understand what she’s trying to say.

“His heart is dying.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Natasha doesn’t take her in to see Bucky, instead, she takes her to the common room. Mostly everyone is there, and she’s grateful.

Wanda is confused, until Natasha gets everyone’s attention on them. “We need to talk.”

Sam and Clint are besides her first, worry etched on their faces. “What is it?” “Is it Steve? Is it Bucky?”

She nods and Tony and Bruce are there too, faces serious as she and Wanda explained what’s happened.

After everything is said, Tony reaches out for a bar stool and sits down, hand cupping his chin.

“Well, I’ll be damned. A fucking soul bond. Gotta hand it to those two fossils, didn’t think those actually existed.”

Clint is speechless besides her. “No shit, I thought soul bonds were fairy tales.”

Sam is messing with his hands, scent all over the place. “It’s not that hard to believe, just rare as hell. I mean, everyone bonds when they mate, but…shit, just…. shit. Now what are we going to do?”

Bruce’s voice is calm, trying to balance out everyone’s panic. “Bucky needs to see Steve.”

Natasha is against the idea, but knows that it’s for the best. Still….

“He doesn’t want to see him.” Her voice is small. She doesn’t want to go against the omega, but she knows that Bruce is right.

“I know, and so does Steve. His body is reacting to all the rejection by shutting down.”

Tony looks up at her, frown on his face. “How is Barnes doing? Still not eating or sleeping?”

She shakes her head, everything clicking into place. Bucky’s body is reacting to him rejecting Steve too.

“Why the hell doesn’t he want to see Steve, anyway? He’s not being treated anymore and his heat is long over. “Tony’s voice is frustrated, and he walks behind the bar, needing a drink.

“He’s scared.”

“Shit, We’re all scared right now. “

Sam places a hand against Nat’s shoulder. “Nat, he NEEDS to see Steve. They’re both getting worse, and it’s about time.”

She knows he’s right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave kudos and comments to help feed my family tonight


	4. Chapter 4

When Natasha goes back into Bucky’s room, she sees the omega shivering on the floor next to his bed.

She rushes to kneel in front of him, cradling his face so he can look at hers. “James.”

His eyes are shut tightly and she moves her hands to his shoulders instead, giving him a hard shake. “James, look at me.” His eyes snap open and his frantic grey eyes are flying everywhere before landing on her green ones. He lets out a shuddering breath and tries to focus on the alpha in front of him.

Nat rubs at his shoulders, trying to remain calm in the situation. “What happened?”

Bucky blinks and takes a few seconds to gather himself before giving her an answer. “I was dreaming.” She raises an eyebrow. “Really? Because that looked a lot like you were in the middle of a nightmare.”

He furrows his brows, and she notices that he’s burning up from under her fingertips. Raising a hand, she presses the back of it to his forehead, and he’s running a fever.

The conversation from earlier comes back to her and she makes sure he’s looking at her. He can smell the seriousness in her scent. “You need to see Steve.” It’s not a question like it’s always been, and he shakes his head immediately. “No.”

She releases his shoulder and rubs her hands over her face, stress pouring off her. “I know you don’t want to, but you still need to see him.”

“Did something happen?” His voice is tight. “Is he…”

She shakes her head. “He’s not dead. At least not yet, and that’s exactly why you need to see him right now.”

“You’re not making any sense.” He’s confused and nervous, seeing Natasha like this is new for him. And he doesn’t like it.

“Look.” She takes in a deep breath and stares straight into the omega’s eyes. “You and Steve are bonded.”

“No, we’re not.”

“Soul bonded.”

Bucky closes his mouth and feels an ache in his chest at the words. It’s echoing inside of him and he knows in his mind that she’s telling the truth. That doesn’t stop the automatic denial that he voices. “You’re lying.” He’s scared and it shows in the tone of his voice and scent.

“I’m not.”

He looks down at the floor, not wanting to look her in the eyes anymore. “I’m not lying, and you are going to come with me to see Steve.” He knows that she means it, and the fight has left him. It’s way past time. Natasha offers her hand and he takes it, the alpha pulling him on his feet. He sways a little as his vision tilts and he remembers that he hasn’t eaten in more than two weeks.

“Are you okay?”

He nods and regrets it as a throbbing starts in his temples. They make their way to the door and he watches as it opens for them. He’s walked out of the room a handful of times, for tests that couldn’t be administered in his room. But he’s not going for tests this time.

He swallows down a bundle of nerves that has gathered in his throat.

He’s going to see Steve.

\-------------------------------------------------

They make their way down the medical ward and there’s a group of people outside of Steve’s room. There’s a petite female omega that’s eyes widen when she sees him. He can smell the relief pouring out of all of them when they see him, and it makes him itch.

As he gets closer to the door, the stronger Steve’s scent gets, and it makes something inside of himself shake.

Natasha stops at the doorway, and he turns back to look at her, confused. The rest of the people have started to walk away, but she stays to pull him into her arms. He lets himself be embraced by her and then be pulled back. She looks him in the eyes. “There’s food in there if you get hungry, and if he wakes up for more than five minutes, call the doctor.” He nods because what else can he do.

Nat goes to follow the rest of the team, and then Bucky is left alone. He hears the beeping of the machines in the room and reminds himself that he’s not alone. He turns and finally lets himself see Steve.

The sight makes a whine build up in his chest. He steps into the room and closes the door behind him.

Bucky feels tears well up with each step he takes towards Steve and then when he’s next to the bed, he reaches for Steve’s hand. It’s limp and Bucky moves his fingers to press against his pulse point. It’s there, thudding against the pads of his fingers and he lets out a sob.

“Steve” He stares at the blonde’s face, then the rest of his body. There’s burns and bruising along the alpha’s pale skin, and it reminds Bucky of the hazy memories of Brooklyn. Of Steve getting into fights and coming out beaten and bloody.

Steve’s chest is rising and falling with his shallow breaths and Bucky sits on the edge of the bed, mindful of the ivs. He clasps Steve’s hand in-between his own and brings it up to his mouth.

He places gentle kisses on the tip of each of Steve’s fingers and let’s tears slip out of the corners of his eyes. “I’m sorry.” Bucky brings the palm of Steve’s to rest against his cheek. “Steve, I’m sorry.”

Steve’s eyes stay closed and the steady beeping of the machines around them are the only sounds in the room.

Bucky stays sitting like that for something close to an hour before he eyes the covered tray on the table against the wall. He feels his stomach cramp up in hunger and he places Steve’s hand back on the bed as he stands up.

He makes his way to the small table and lifts up the lid, seeing what food there was. It’s all simple. Some grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, and a pudding cup. Hospital food, but probably ten times more expensive. His stomach growls loudly and he decides to just eat it. Natasha told him it was for him, anyway. And he wasn’t going anywhere.

Lifting his hand, he tore off a piece of chicken and brought it to his mouth. He continued like that, until he was full. He had eaten a little less than half of the tray, his stomach having gotten used to not eating, so he took it slow.

After that he moved the back to the side of the bed, staring down at it, taking in the size of the bed. It was pretty big, a queen if he had to guess. Which he didn’t even know medical beds came in. He Looks back to Steve’s face and then down to where the ivs were.

Most of them were on the opposite side of where Bucky was standing, only one on his side.

Bucky looked at the space between Steve and the rail on the edge of the bed and toed off his shoes. Lifting the covers from Steve’s waist, he carefully placed the iv where he wouldn’t accidentally snag it and laid down next to his alpha, pulling the covers over both of them.

Bucky still felt warm, but it wasn’t unbearable. Especially, feeling how cold Steve was next to him. The omega shuffled until his head was lying on top of Steve’s chest. His ear pressing against the thin material of the medical gown the blonde wore, and tingling with the thudding of Steve’s heartbeat against it.

He fell asleep like that, listening to Steve’s heartbeat and letting their scents mingle together in the air of the room.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s late, even the hallway lights outside of the room are dimmed in the night hours, when Steve’s fingers start to twitch.

He feels a weight and heat against him that confuses him. Blinking his eyes open, he tries to look around him and take in his surroundings. He’s hazy and disoriented.

He sees something dark at the bottom of his vision and when his eyes focus a little more, he can see that it’s hair. He lifts up a hand and touches it, feeling the soft strand slide trough his fingers.

He looks over to the side and sees a body next to him, and the realization that someone is sleeping next to come comes gradually. He shifts a little, and the movement makes the person on top of him twitch. Steve is just starting to get clearer, when the dark head of hair rises and suddenly wide grey eyes are staring into his.

“Steve?” that voice is quiet and suddenly Steve can’t breathe. It’s Bucky.

“Buck...” the omega is crying and Steve doesn’t know what to do.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr @jibblyuniverse

Steve’s first thought at seeing Bucky is that he’s still asleep.

His mind feels heavy and slow ad his body is still aching in the way he shifts his hips to look at the brunette better. Lifting one of his hands, he brings it to the side of Bucky’s face and cups his cheek. “Hey there, Buck.” It’s said softly, Steve not wanting to wake himself up from his dream. The room is honey sweet and Steve feels the warmth of the Bucky’s cheek against his palm.

It’s when the tears that had been clinging to the omega’s eyes fall and Bucky grips Steve’s hand against his face does Steve realize that he’s awake.

Bucky presses his lips to Steve’s palm and his chest is hitching with hiccups. There’s a pull in Steve’s chest that pulls taunt at the sight.

Little things start to come to Steve’s attention at a time. He notices that he’s not in his room, the beeping of the machines that he’s hooked up to, the bone deep pain his body is in.

“What happened?” Steve tries to piece together his shotty memory at the small lapses of time that he had woken up, but it’s all jumbled and out of order.

Bucky lowers Steve’s hand from his face, intertwining their fingers and takes to look at Steve. His expression is pinched for a second, before he takes a deep breath and starts talking.

“I don’t know all the details, but you went out for a mission. Sam says that you hadn’t been yourself lately. That you were starting to get reckless and distracted.”

Steve flexes his jaw at the mention of the dark skinned beta and how he had acted towards him the last time they had spoken.

“You were on a mission and something happened, and you were caught in an exposition. They…” Bucky glances at the side of Steve’s body that was still raw and damaged. “Natasha said that you were bad when they brought you in. “

Steve takes in a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling and feeling like a piece of shit. The mission Bucky was talking about coming back to him. On how he hadn’t property checked his surroundings before kicking in the door to the building. The alpha that had come at him out of nowhere. The bomb that had been strapped to the other man’s chest detonating as he had yelled “Hail hydra”, intending to take both himself and Steve with him. Collapsing the building on top of them.

“They put you in surgery, and then you were recovering. Or at least trying to.” Steve looks back at Bucky, the omega staring down at their joined hands, and Steve realizes that this is the first physical contact they’ve had in months. Since Steve had brought Bucky here.

“Trying to?”

Bucky nodded, tightening his fingers for a second before continuing. “your healing factor. It wasn’t. It isn’t working at the rate it’s supposed to be. “There was silence for a couple of seconds before Bucky spoke again.

“Natasha said that you were going to die.”

Steve sees the tension lining the span of the other’s shoulders and he squeezes with what little strength he has to tighten his fingers with Bucky’s.

“Is that why you’re here, Buck?” It’s a mean thing to say, but Steve wants to know what made the omega see him after all this time. If him almost dying was what would have let Bucky see him, he thinks he would have done it sooner.

The words stung. Steve could see it in the way the omega flinched, and slowly removed his hand from Steve’s. His back straight and his scent conflicting.

“I wasn’t going to see you.”

That hurt Steve right back.

“Nat…Nat told me I had to, so that you wouldn’t die. So that you can get better.” Steve can see that there’s a lump forming in Bucky’s throat at something that he still wants to say, but he can’t help the twinge of bitterness he feels at the other’s words.

“So, you’re here because of Natasha. Because she told you to.” Steve’s eyes drift back to the ceiling, feeling very tired again, but he won’t go back to sleep. Not when he’s finally in the same room as Bucky again. “Seems like you two are very close.” His words are not hostile, just tired. But Steve feels them like knives to the chest.

“Steve…” Bucky starts but stops when Steve talks again.

“Why did you tell her to keep your heat a secret from me?” Steve’s eyes are still fixed on the ceiling, so he doesn’t see how Bucky’s face crumbles for an instant.

“Because I didn’t…. I didn’t want to see you. I didn’t want to be alone with you.” Bucky’s chest is quickly rising and falling as his words tumble out of him. “I killed so many people… I was beaten and broken so many times and then there you were. In the middle of the street calling my name. And everything that happened after. I shot you. I tried to kill you more than once, and there’s still a part of me that wants to just wrap my hand around your throat and strangle the life out of you. I look at you and it reminds me of everything that’ happened to me. And I didn’t want to see you. “The words are terrible. For both Bucky to say and for Steve to hear.

There’s a smile on Steve’s face, but there’s tears forming in his eyes. He tilts his head and looks at Bucky. He thinks about all his nightmares of Bucky that he’s had both before he knew he was still alive and after. All his guilt and self-hatred at not going back for the omega, for not dying with him. For letting the soviets and hydra torture him for decades.

“you should kill me, then.”

Bucky’s head snaps up to look at him, grey eyes wide with panic and fear. Steve tries to give him a reassuring smile.

“If it’s you, I won’t mind. If it’ll make you feel better, then you should do it. I’ll leave a message with Jarvis for the team.”

It’s said so calmly. Steve is so ready to die for Bucky. That it makes the omega openly sob.

“I’m so sorry, Steve.”

The alpha doesn’t understand why Bucky is apologizing, but he just lets him place his head lightly against his chest. He can feel the material of the gown he’s wearing soak through, but Steve just runs his fingers through the omega’s hair.

“I’m sorry, too Buck.”

They stay like that for a while, Bucky’s head pressed to Steve’s chest and Steve idly running his hand through the other’s hair. Bucky dozes off for a while, and Steve lets him.

\--------------------------------------------------

Bucky doesn’t tell him that they have a soul bond until the next day. Steve wants to say that he was surprised, but he felt like it made sense.

How everything finally made sense.

Everyone else comes to see him, and he’s chewed out by Tony and Sam for being an idiot. He eats a little and after a few days, his healing starts to incline.

The whole time, Bucky has been in the room with him. Nat brings him clothes and food, but he refuses to leave Steve’s side. They mostly spend their time together in silence, but they talk at night. Steve will scoot over, pinching his face as he tries to not place too much pressure on his injured side as he makes room for Bucky to lay down besides him.

The omega has taken to sleeping with his ear pressed against Steve’s chest. He said that it reminded him of when Steve was smaller. How he would check the alpha’s weak heartbeat to make sure it was still beating in their ratty Brooklyn apartment.

Bucky didn’t remember a whole lot of before, it came to him a little at a time.

Steve eventually healed, his recovery wasn’t that long compared to the two weeks he had first been admitted.

When he’s finally able to leave the medical wing of the tower, he is surprised that Bucky doesn’t go back to his own room. The omega had just held onto his hand tightly and tucked his head under Steve’s chin. His voice sweetly asking if it was okay for him to stay with Steve for the night.

And could Steve really deny him anything?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one more chapter to go! Will try to get it up nxt week


	6. Chapter 6

Bucky has been sleeping in Steve’s room for two months, and the omega has slowly started to scent Steve the way he had before he fell.

When Steve is out, for public relations or on missions, Bucky spends his time wondering the Avengers HQ. He still isn’t allowed to leave, which he feels grateful for. He still doesn’t fully trust himself, and if he can’t get out, then hopefully no one can come get him.

He talks to Natasha almost every day, but both Steve and her have asked that talk to some more members of the team.

He tried talking to Tony once, but the beta had been annoying to him with his constant questions about his and Steve’s romantic situation. Reminding him too much of his father. Tony had told him that he had known Bucky had killed his parents, and that he was mad but that it wasn’t his fault. Bucky bit back the response that it still was his fault, because he was the one who ended their lives.

Thor had smiled at him, and he had almost punched the big blonde alpha when he hugged him the first time they saw each other.

Clint had been the easiest to talk to. He was Natasha’s mate and he had told Bucky about the time Loki had controlled him and had made him kill a lot of his friends and innocent people.

Sam was weird to talk to at first, because Bucky remembered the interactions between them in Washington. It was awkward until Bucky had just said “Sorry about your car”, one day and the dark skinned beta had laughed. They spoke often, and it was easier when Steve was with them.

He ate regularly, and Steve was there almost every night. Bucky almost felt like a real person.

_\----------_

_Steve was massaging his glands in his neck and Bucky swore as it felt like a jolt through his body._

_“They’re pretty swollen, Buck. You going into heat soon?” The blonde’s voice was soft as he rubbed the tender spot again._

_Bucky had his eyes closed and tightened his hands against Steve’s shoulders. They were laying down in their shared tent, the cold weather beating down on the canvas, and the happy voices of their squadron outside. Steve had his upper body covering most of Bucky’s, because the omega was cold and Steve ran a higher temperature than normal people._

_“Steve, I…This time I want you to knot me.” It was breathless, and Steve groaned low in his throat at the omega’s words. “I want you to bite me.”_

_Steve moved his hand from Bucky’s neck, to the back of his head and pulled him in for a kiss. “How soon you gonna go into it, Buck? I need to know so the team can prepare.”_

_Bucky is rubbing his legs against Steve’s and he bites at the blonde’s lips. “Soon. Probably in the next couple of days.”_

_Steve is considering something, pressing small kisses to Bucky’s temple and behind his ears. “We have the train tomorrow.”_

_Bucky nods, and cards his fingers through Steve’s hair. “I know.”_

_Steve lets the hand that’s not in Bucky’s hair; move down until he’s gripping the omega’s thigh. “You can stay here, if you feel like the heat’s too close. I’ll go with someone else and we can meet up afterwards at the end.”_

_Bucky growls low in his throat, not an alpha growl, but softer as he gives Steve a stern look. “I’m going with you.”_

_Steve smiles and mouths at Bucky’s neck as he hikes up the omega’s leg so it’s over his own hips. He rolls his hips and Buck moans as he feels the press of Steve’s dick against him. “Fuck, Stevie.”_

\--------

Bucky wakes up and feels his body shivering. Looking over to his side, he notices that Steve still hasn’t come back from his latest mission. He lifts the covers and lies down on the bed, lowering his flesh hand until it touches his entrance.

He gasps as he can feel the slickness through his boxers and he groans when he applies pressure so that the tip of his finger presses into him with the soaked cotton of the underwear.

He’s in pre-heat.

He whines in his throat as he removes his boxers, leaving just the comforter to cover his naked body. He had been feeling hazy for the past couple of days, but hadn’t thought about his heat. He was used to not having them at all anymore, but after the one he had had after his withdrawal, it made sense for his cycle to start regulating itself.

He palmed at his groin, feeling himself getting harder, and he thinks about what he should do.

Steve still isn’t back yet, but he probably will be soon. He still had time to go ask wither Tony or Bruce for help. In either a temporary suppressant, or an isolation room.

Looking over to the empty side of the bed, he turned over so that he could press his nose into Steve’s pillow and he moaned. The hand that had been massaging his dick moving behind himself, so that he was pressing a finger into himself.

He wasn’t in full heat yet, but he rubbed his index finger back and forth over his hole and felt how swollen it was. His dream came back to him and he pressed his face harder into the pillow. He had wanted Steve to mate him, before he had fallen and everything went to hell.

He still wants that.

Pressing his finger deeper into himself, he starts to pant at the thought of Steve knotting him. Of clamping his teeth around the back of Bucky’s neck and finally claiming him as his mate.

He adds another finger and decides to stay right where he is.

\---------

Steve reports his mission report to Tony who had been asleep and nods quickly to send Steve, Sam, and Natasha off.

Everything had gone smoothly, and they came back with only minor injuries. Natasha having had to save Steve from getting shot in the head by kicking his in the chest. But other than that, it went well.

Sam cracked his neck and waved to Steve goodnight, as the beta went to his own area of the HQ.

Steve had already taken off his helmet and was messing with the straps and buttons of his suit to start taking it off as he got into the elevator. He was tired, but the thought of who was waiting for him kept his spirits good.

Both him and Bucky were getting better. Now that everything between them that had to be said was said, it was like flowing into each other’s habits again. They weren’t the same people they were before, neither of them, but they still fit together.

The were made for each other, literally.

The elevator opened up and he stepped through, undoing his collar of the suit and was already halfway into his living room when he heard it.

He took a deep breath and his whole body shuddered.

Stripping out of his uniform, he laid his clothes on the back of the sofa, heading towards his room in his boxers. He opened the door, and he felt every fiber of his body vibrate.

Bucky was lying on his back, head turned to the side to bury itself in Steve’s pillow, and three fingers pumping in and out of his slick asshole. The omega’s dick was a deep red, and judging by the dried flakes on his stomach, he had already come multiple times.

He was in heat, and Steve wanted to cover the omega with his entire body.

“Buck.” He said it to get the other’s attention, and Steve grit his teeth as he saw the way Bucky’s opening contracted at his voice.

Bucky opened his eyes and he found Steve standing by the door. He whined and pulled his head back, exposing his throat. “Steve, I need you.”

Steve’s breath came out in a deep sigh and he stepped out of his boxer, feeling how his own dick had already gotten rock hard just looking at Bucky. He climbed over the bed, and hovered over the burning body of his soulmate.

Steve brought his hand up and cupped Bucky’s cheek, moving his head, so they were looking g at each other. “What do you need, Buck?”

Bucky took Steve’s thumb in between his teeth and bit on it, groaning and pulling the alpha closer to him for a kiss.

Steve moved his hands to be on either side of Bucky’s head and let himself deepen the kiss as Bucky dug his fingers into Steve’s hair. They broke apart and Bucky pressed their foreheads together. His eyes were glassy and pupil blown wide. “Claim me.”

Steve groaned and his hips moved, rubbing against Bucky’s side. “Are you sure that’s what you want? You aren’t too far gone?”

Bucky shook his head, a whine breaking out of his throat as he removed the fingers he had inside himself. “I …I have been waiting for you. To get back. I woke up and felt it starting.”

Steve let the words soak into himself, a warmth in his chest. “And you waited for me. “

Bucky nods, and presses the fingers that had been inside of him against Steve’s mouth. The alpha shuddering and letting them slip past his lips. The taste of Bucky’s slick hit him and he almost bit the digits.

“Bite me and knot me, Steve.” Bucky said breathlessly as he maneuvered Steve’s body over his.

Steve kissed him again before nodding, and bring his hand down to where Bucky’s fingers hand been. He pressed in two of his fingers into Bucky, both of them sliding in with no resistance. Bucky whined high in his throat and pressed his face into Steve’s neck.

Steve mouthed at the omega’s neck, his tongue rubbing the swollen glands at Bucky’s neck and adding in another finger. Bucky’s body was so warm and soft under him. Bucky’s hand in his hair gripped him, and Steve felt lips brushing against his ear. “Bite me, Stevie. Please.”

Steve pulled Bucky close to him and whispered back to him. “Take a deep breath, Baby.”

Bucky did as he was told and took in a lungful of air. Steve pressed a kiss to his neck, before Bucky let out the air in his lungs in a shuddering rush. It hurt, and Bucky could feel there was blood pooling out from between Steve’s teeth. But he didn’t care.

Bucky let out a sob as he could feel the warmth inside him tighten as his body responded to the bite. Steve kept his teeth attached to his neck, and moved his body so that his hips were cradled between Bucky’s legs.

Steve let go of his neck, placing a few licks, before he looked back down at Bucky. The omega’s chest was heaving, and there were tears in his eyes. “You okay?” Steve asked, to which Bucky quickly nodded and brought their mouths together again for a kiss. He could feel it. His bond with Steve.

There was the taste of his own blood in Steve’s mouth, and Bucky felt how there was a new pressure against his entrance. Breaking the kiss, he pressed his forehead against Steve’s, panting and whining.

“You have to bite me too, Baby.” Steve was breathless, and he pressed the head of his cock a little more against Bucky’s entrance.

Bucky nodded and let out a shaking breath. “O...okay.” Steve moved his head to the side, and lowered himself so that Bucky could have access to his throat.

Bucky let his teeth scrap against the soft skin of the alpha above him, before he bit down. Steve’s own blood flowed into his mouth and his whole body jolted when he felt Steve press his dick into him fully.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :))

Steve had sent a message to Tony telling him not to bother them for the next few days. The brunette had sent various annoying texts demanding why, but stopped when Bucky opened facetime with Steve knot deep inside him. Needless to say, he got the message and they were left alone.

After five days, his heat broke.

Bucky had woken up with Steve’s chest against his back and their hands intertwined. Looking over his shoulder, he saw how Steve was still asleep. Steve had rarely slept, always being attentive to his mate, going for short trips to go bring them water and food. Steve wrapping him in between his warm arms as the omega feel asleep, waking him up with soft kisses that trailed his entire body. Telling him how beautiful he was and how much Steve loved him. Bucky had never felt so taken care of in his life.

Now the alpha was passed out, content and sleep warm and Bucky took a second now that the haze of heat wasn’t clouding his head to let the fact that they were finally bonded sink in. He could count each one of Steve’s dark eyelashes and the faint freckles that dusted his face. Gripping the hand in his a little tighter, he lets himself feel.

Closing his eyes, he leans his head towards Steve and presses his forehead against his gently. His lungs shake as he takes in their mixed scent. Bonded. Mates. Alpha. Home. _Steve_.

\----

He had detangled himself from Steve, the alpha barely twitching, and made his way to the bathroom. He stood under the warm spray of the shower and let his sore muscles relax under the water. He thoroughly washed himself, because he was grimy and disgusting.

He pulled on some sleeping pants and a loose t-shirt after the shower, waking back into the bedroom and staring at Steve still sleeping on the bed.

Turning to look at their little pile of used water bottles and wrappers, Bucky decided some real food was in order. His stomach seemed to agree with the thought as it gave a quiet rumble. Eggs sounded pretty fantastic even if it was, looking at the clock on the nightstand, three in the morning.

Stepping out quietly, he padded barefoot through the halls of the building. The elevator was quiet when he stepped in, but Jarvis’ voice chimed in before the doors closed.

_“Good morning, Sargent Barnes. It’s good to see you again, sir.”_

Bucky couldn’t help the smile he cracked at the accented computerized voice. “Good morning, Jarvis.”

He went down two floors to the common room where the main kitchen was and was surprised to see he wasn’t the only one there when the elevator doors opened back up. Clint was sitting down at the island in the kitchen, drinking what smelled like coffee and tapping away on a pad. The blonde looked up and grinned at him, lifting his mug in greeting.

Bucky nodded his head towards Clint and made his way towards the fridge. “Can’t sleep?” Bucky asked and Clint smiled. “Nah, waiting for Nat to get home from her mission.”  Stepping behind the other omega to open one of the double doors, he saw how Clint’s shoulders tensed and he whipped his head back to stare at him.

Taking out the carton of eggs from the top shelf inside the fridge, Bucky raised an eyebrow at the face Clint was making. “What?”

Clint looked down at his mug still raised halfway towards his mouth, and set the cup down on the marble island with a clink and turning back. “Um….” Scratching the back of his head, Clint looked a little lost. “Congratulations….”

Bucky set the eggs down on the counter and gave Clint a grin.

“You can smell it?” Bucky asked, thinking about what he and Steve smelled like on his skin. “I took a shower.” Bending down to get a pan from the bottom cabinets, he missed the look Clint was giving him.

“I don’t think a shower’s gonna get rid of that smell, dude.”

Bucky pursed his mouth, Clint’s voice sounding off. “Well, that’s kind of the point of being bonded isn’t it? That you smell like your mate.” Bucky stood up and put the pan on the stove, annoyed that his good mood was starting to go away. Turning on the stove, he picked up an egg, cracked it against the edge of the counter and dropped it into the pan.

Staring at Bucky for what felt like minutes, Clint gave him an incredulous look. “that’s all awesome and everything. Really, I’m happy that the two of you finally got it together, but that’s not what I’m talking about, dude.”

Annoyed, Bucky placed his hands against the counter and turned to face Clint. “Fine, Clint. What is it? Just tell me.”

Pushing up from his chair, Clint came to stand beside the other omega. His eyes were worried and eyebrows were pinched, like whatever he was going to say was gonna make Bucky upset.

“You…You smell pregnant, man.”

Bucky felt his entire body freeze up and the words echoed in his head. He had to remember to breathe. He had to calm down. “What?”

Clint made him look at him, face full of concern. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re okay. “

Bucky could fell how Clint’s hands were rubbing up and down his arms in an attempt to comfort him, but all he could think about was the fact that he smelled like a pregnant omega to the other.

The eggs were burning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> B O I  
> ya'll better leave comments or I'm deleting my account


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